NY Mayor Bill de Blasio could be latest White House hopeful

FILE - In this March 26, 2019, file photo, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks about New York City budget priorities during a news conference at the state Capitol in Albany, N.Y. De Blasio says he will announce in May 2019 whether he will join the growing list of candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for president.
Hans Pennink, File
AP Photo

NEW YORK

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio plans to visit a pair of early voting states ahead of an expected entry into the crowded 2020 Democratic presidential race.

De Blasio is scheduled to appear Thursday on ABC's "Good Morning America." A spokeswoman says he will travel to Iowa later in the day and will hold events in that state Friday and in South Carolina on Saturday.

The spokeswoman, Olivia Lapeyrolerie, declined to confirm that de Blasio is entering the race. But the mayor has been saying publicly for months that he's considering a run and has said that he will announce his decision this week.

He made several previous campaign-style trips to states expected to play a role in the Democratic nominating process.

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So far, his potential candidacy has generated little enthusiasm from hometown constituents. A recent Quinnipiac University poll found 76% of New York City voters said they believed de Blasio shouldn't run.

Newspapers have poked fun at de Blasio's presidential ambitions, noting that while he won two mayoral elections by large margins and can cite real achievements, including expanding free public prekindergarten citywide, he's also developed a reputation for political bumbling.

De Blasio has remained undaunted by the obstacles and said he believes he has a message that can resonate with Americans.

On Monday, de Blasio seemed to be laying the groundwork for an announcement by holding a news conference in the lobby of Trump Tower to blame the skyscraper for contributing to air pollution.

But the attention-grabbing location also drew supporters of President Donald Trump who jeered and heckled the mayor as he hollered to make himself heard. Afterward, de Blasio exchanged insults on Twitter with the president's son Eric Trump, who called the news conference "childish."

By joining the race, de Blasio could hope to claim a role on the national stage that has eluded him as mayor.

When he took office in 2014, de Blasio seemed briefly poised to become a leading voice for an emerging left wing of the Democratic Party.

But liberal enthusiasm faded over his first term, partly because of political missteps at home and the emergence of bigger names elsewhere. He could face obstacles trying to distinguish himself in a crowded field.